MUMBAI: An accused in an ISIS module case created an unusual scene in a Mumbai court on Thursday when he allegedly threatened the presiding judge and said he had no respect for the government or the judiciary.
Following the outburst, the special NIA court ordered that the accused, Tabis Sidique, be produced through video conference until further orders. The court also observed that he was "merely pretending to have mental issues so as to evade trial proceedings".
Sidique, who was arrested in 2023, was produced before Special NIA Judge Abhay Joglekar when he began misbehaving and questioned the name of the court, according to the prosecution.
As per court records, Sidique said he had "no respect for the existing government" and used "filthy language" against the judiciary, stating that he had "no respect for the court".
During the outburst, Sidique also threatened the judge, saying he would "look upon" him and his family.
The court strongly condemned the accused's conduct, describing it as "highly deprecated".
The court also examined Sidique's medical records. It noted that his psychological test had been conducted at the state-run J J Hospital and that the reports "categorically enumerate no major mental illness at present".
"Thus it is clearly gathered that the accused "is merely pretending to have mental issues so as to evade trial proceedings"," the court observed.
Sidique was among seven people arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in July 2023 during multiple raids across Maharashtra in connection with an alleged ISIS module, PTI reported.
According to the NIA, the accused allegedly had active links with the Islamic State and were attempting to motivate vulnerable youth to propagate the terror organisation's anti-India agenda.
The central agency has claimed that its searches led to the recovery of incriminating material, including electronic devices and documents linked to ISIS. Investigators also found social media posts during searches at the accused persons' residences.
The NIA has said the material seized during the searches exposed the accused's "strong and active linkages" with ISIS and their alleged efforts to motivate vulnerable youth to further the terror organisation's anti-India agenda, PTI reported.
(With agency inputs)